Corn-husker.



T. I. LUDWIG.

I CORN HUSKER. APIPLIOATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909.

Patented N:0v.8,191 0.

Tn: nouns FITERSQfOL'M/ASMINUTON, D. c.

T. I. LUDWIG.

001m HUSKER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909. I 97 5, 143. r v Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ms uonms trans ca, WASHINGTON, n. c.

T. I. LUDWIG.

CORN HUSKER.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, n09. 975,143. v Patented Nov. 8, 191 0.

4 $HEETS-SHEET 3.

attorney:

T. I'. LUDWIG;

norm EUSKER. v

APPLICATION 1;LED-NOV. B, 1909. v

975,143, Patented Nov. 8, 1910.-

4 SHEETS-S1H13T 4.

UNITE STA S *An no CORN-HUSKER.

Application filed November 8, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 526,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS I. LUDWIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Corn-Husker, (Case (1,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn huskers and is more especially designed as an improvement upon the structure set forth in my applications for U. S. Letters Patent filed on June 11, 1909, Serial No. 501,625, and on August 28, 1909, Serial No. 515,069.

In the structures of this type heretofore devised, the wrist straps and thumb engaging thongs have been subjected, to-an objectionable extent, to the abrasive action of the husk, this being due to the fact that said straps have been extended over the metal portions of the husker. Moreover, as a result of use, the straps have had a tendency to work down into the hook portion of the husker and thus not only interfere with the husking operation, but also become subjected to excessive wear.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a husker having means whereby the straps are prevented from working down into the hooks.

Another object is to provide a husker which constantly presents a broad metallic bearing surface to the husks while engaged by the hook.

A still further object is to provide a husker having a shield or protector for the straps so as to prevent excessive wear thereon by the husks.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of one form of husker embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the metallic portion thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another form of husker. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of other forms of huskers. verse section through the guard plate shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a Fig. 6 is a trans-' husker utilizing a metal plate instead of the loop disclosed in the other forms of the device. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another form of husker in which a guard plate is provided. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a husker the metal parts of which are formed of plates suitably shaped. Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the metallic portion of the husker shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of another form of husker in which a plate is used in lieu of a wire loop. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a husker in which the hook constitutes an integral part of a bearing plate combined with a wire structure. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of another form of husker. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the metal portion thereof. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a still further modification, and Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the metal portion of the device shown in Fig. 15.

By referring to all the various forms of huskers shown it will be noted that every one of them presents a broad metallic bearing surface to the husks engaged by the hooks and it will be noted 21.1SO that these metallic bearing portions constitute means for preventing the various straps from crowding into the hook and thus interfering with the operation of the device. It will be noted too that in the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive the bearing members also constitute shields for protecting the straps from the abrasive action of the husks. Referring particularly to these last mentioned figures and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the body of the husker is formed in a single length of stifi wire or the like bent to form a laterally extending, rearwardly inclined eye 1. An elongated U-shaped loop or member Qmerges into the eye and is formed by one terminal portion of the length of wire, the other terminal portion of said length being bent to form a stripping element 3 which is located within the loop 2 and terminates in a hook which bears against the crown portion of the loop 2. The free terminal of the loop end of the wire is bent upwardly into a hook and constitutes a keeper 4 which extends through and bears against the eye or body of the husker as indicated at 5 and bears at its end 6 upon the stripping element 8.

A wrist strap 7 extends under one end end portion of the eye 1 as indicated at 12,

portion of the eye 1 thence over the loop 2 and through the keeper or guard 4, this strap 1 being engaged by a thumb thong 8 which is secured at one end to the wrist strap and is threaded through the eye 1 as indicated at 9 and thence through a slit 10 formed within the wrist strap. This thong is then ex-' tended through the hooked ends of a connecting wire 11 passing under the crown portion of the loop 2, thence threaded through the wrist strap 7 and around one the said thong thus constituting means not only for engagement by the thumb of the hand in which the husker is arranged but also constituting means for securely fastening the wrist strap to the metal portion of the husker. Openings 14 are formed in one end portion of the wrist strap for the reception of the tongue of a buckle 15 located at the other end thereof and whereby said wriststrap can be adjustably secured to the wristafter the thumb has been inserted into the loop formed by the thong 8. It will be noted in connection with the structure shown in Fig. 1 that the hook 4 extends over that portion of the wrist strap passing over the loop 2 and thus serves as a guard to prevent the husk from wearing the said strap to an excessive extent.

The husker shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that heretofore described with the exception that the loop 15 is twisted at an intermediate point so as to cause the side portions thereof to cross. as indicated at 17, this crossed portion constituting a bearing for the hooked part of the husker. An eye 18 is thus formed by the free end of the loop and through which the thumb thong 8 passes. The keeper 19 in this form however'is not extended through the eye 1 as in Fig. 1 but, instead, is formed by bending the wire upon itself and having the bend in contact with the eye as indicated at 5 while the terminal of the said keeper or guard bears on the husking element 3 as indicated at 6; The strap 7 of course extends over the loop and husking element and under the guard or keeper 19.

In the two forms of device heretofore described, the guard or keeper has been shown as made up of an integral. part of the loop. As shown in Fig. 4 however the wrist strap 7 may be wrapped around the loop as indicated at 34 and this wrapped portion of the strap can be engaged by a guard wire 20 having terminal hooks 21 engaging the wrapped portion of the wrist strap and also having an intermediate U-shaped portion 22 extending under the husking element 3, those portions of the wire between the U- shaped portion and the hooks being extended over the wrist strap as clearly indicated. The loopedportions of the strap are thus not only held properlytogether under all conditions but are fully protected against the abrading action of the husks. It will be noted in connection with the structure shown in Fig. 4 that the thong 8 is not extended through a slit in the wrist strap as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 but is instead threaded through the eye 1 and over the wrist strap.

Instead of forming the shields or guards of wire, plates can be utilized as shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 8. In the structure shown in Fig. 5 the strap and thong are looped about the metal portion of the husker in the same manner as disclosed in Fig. 4 but that portion of the wrist strap which is wrapped about the loop 23 is located beneath a guard plate 24 one edge portion of which is provided with a tongue 25 extending into the looped wrist strap while the other end portion extends downwardly into the eye 1 as shown at 27 and is provided with a slot 26 through which the wrist strap extends.

In Fig. 8 the eye 1 is shown without the loop shown at 2 in Fig. 1 and 23 in Fig. 5 and, instead, said eye is provided with a stem or husking element 28 on which rests a guard plate 29 provided with a rolled portion 30- at one end in which a portion of the eye 1 is located, this rolled portion being indicated at 30. An opening 31 is formed within the plate near its other end and the hooked portion of the husking element extends through this opening. It will be noted that the wrist strap and thong extend under this guard plate so that they are fully protected against the action of the husks.

Instead. of entirely dispensing with the loop, a loop 16 of the type shown in Fig. 3 may be employed and a narrow guard plate 32 may be located above the straps and the loop, said plate gradually tapering toward one end and being provided with an opening 33 in the small end thereof for the reception of the husking element while an opening 34 is formed in the other end portion thereof for the reception of the thong 8 which is threaded through the wrist strap.

Another form of husker in which the straps are fully protected from the husks has been shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This husker consists of a metal plate 41 having side flanges .42 and one end portion of the atthe off-set ends 43 thereof, and are designed to receive certain of the attaching straps. Slots 47 are alsoformed in the plate 60 at opposite sides of the plate 54 and additional slots 51 are formed in the small end of the said plate 60. In this structure the wrist strap is formed of two parts numbered 46 and 53 respectively, the strap 53 being looped through one set of slots 48 and secured by threading one end portion of a thong 61 therethroughas indicated at 52, the said thong passing through openings 49 within the strap '53. Certain of these openings are also utilized for engagement by the tongue of a buckle 74 connected to the other section 46 of the wrist strap,.this section being extended under the plate 41 and being looped through the slots 47, the loop formed by the strap section 46,being held together by the thong 61 which is threaded through the wrist strap and also through one of the pair of registering slots 48, said thong being passed through the end portions of a pad 50 and also through the slot 51 so as to hold the pad properly assembled with the metal portion of the husker. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9. one end of the thong is extended to the buckle'end of the'strap section 46 and there secured.

The various forms of huskers heretofore described all utilize metallic guards for protecting the straps wherethey extend over the husking element and they also present broad metallic bearing surfaces for the husks and at. the same time prevent the straps from working along the husking element and into the hooked end portions thereof.

In Figs. 11 to 16 inclusive other forms of huskers have been shown wherein metallic bearings are provided for the husks and constitute means for holding the straps against movement along the husking element. For example, in Fig. 11 a plate 40 has been shown, the same being similar to the plate 29 heretofore described and having a rolled end portion engaging the eye 37 of the husker, there being a stem 38 projecting from the eye and under the plate and terminating in a husking hook 39. The wrist strap 69 is wrapped about this plate 40 and extended through the eye 37, it being held in place by the thong 7 6cwhich is secured at one end to the wrist strap and adjacent the buckle 74 the other end of the thong being threaded through openings 72 in. the wrist strap and about the eye 37 as shown at 79 and 80.

In Fig. 12 the eye 83 has parallel arms 82 extending therefrom and terminating in loops or eyes 84, the two arms 82 being held together by a wear plate 35 which extends partly around them and has an integral husking hook 36 at one end. The thong is threaded through the eyes 84 in this struc ture, but in other respects the arrangement of the wrist strap and thong is similar to that disclosed in Fig. 11.

In the form of husker shown in Fig. 13 the elongated eye 62 has an integral loop 61 extending therefrom, said loop being formed by one terminal of the wire constituting the eye, while the other terminal of said wire extends into the loop and formsa husking element 63 the hooked portion of which bears upon the crown portion of the loop 61. One side of said loop 61 is extended across the husking element 63 and looped about said element and the other side of the loop as shown at 64 so as to project beyond the plane occupied by the wrist strap 76 which is wrapped about the loop and husking element at a point between loop 64 and eye 62. A connecting wire 65 is extended under the loop 61 and has an intermediate bowed portion which projects over the husking element 3 as shown at 66. This bowed portion projects through a cushion 68 and the terminals of the connecting wire form hooks 67 through which the thong 75 extends, this thong also passing under the cushion 68. A wire 81 may be secured to one of the hooks 67 and provided with an eye through which the thong 75 may extend, this wire serving to hold the thumb receiving loop formed by the thong, normally open so as to readily receive the thumb. A buckle 78 may also be utilized adjacent the eye 62, this buckle being provided with openings through which the thong 75 and the wrist strap 69 may be threaded, said" thong being also passed through the wrist strap and around the eye as shown at 79 and through openings formed in that portion of the wrist strap located within the eye 62 as shown at 80. By extending the guard loop 64 transversely about the loop 61 and the husking element, it will be seen that the wrapped portion of the wrist strap 69 is prevented from sliding into the hooked portion of the husking element and is at the same time protected to a considerable extent from the wearing action of the husks.

In Figs. 15 and 16 a husker has been shown formed of a length of stiff wire or the like having parallel arms 82 extending from an eye 83 and terminating in eyes 84. The husking element 85 is formed of a length of wire extended between the arms 82 and wrapped there around a desired number of times, the said wire being enlarged at one end as shown at 86 and provided with an opening through which one of the arms 82 extends, the flattened wrapped portion of the wire being indicated at 87. a

The end 86 can, if desired, be formed by bending the end of the wire around the arm 82. In this construction the wrist strap 69 is wrapped about the arms 22 as indicated at 70 and the thong 85 is threaded through the eyes 84 but is, otherwise, arranged in the same manner as shown in Figs. 4 and 8. v

It will be seen that in the forms of huskers shown in Figs. 11 to. 16 inclusive, the wrapped portions of the wrist straps are prevented from sliding into the hooked portions of'the husking element, this being especially true in the forms shown in Figs. 13 and 15. In the constructions disclosed in Figs. 11 and 12 the straps contact with extensivesurfaces and the friction resulting therefrom results in the reduction of the slipping action of the straps and a lessening of the tendency thereof to pass into the hooked portions of the husking elements. In all of the devices shown, however broad bearing surfaces are presented to the husks and the life of the device is thus considerably prolonged.

Various other changes than those disclosed can of course be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing-any of the advantages of this invention.

What'is claimed is 1. A corn husker including a husking element, a hook extending therefrom, an attaching strap engaging said element and a strap protecting wear device adjacent the strap and extending between said element and the end of the hook. I

2. A corn husker including a husking element having a hook upstanding therefrom, an attaching strap, a thong threaded through the strap for attaching the husker thereto, and a strap protecting wear device extending between said element and the end of the hook.

3. A husker including a husking element having a hook, flexible attaching means connected to the husker, and a wear device for protecting said means, said device extending between the element and the end of the hook and constituting means for preventing ghe 1ittaching means from crowding into the 1. A husker including a husking element having a hook at one end, a wear device bearing downwardly on said element and below the end of the hook, and flexible attaching means, said wear device constituting means for holding the attaching means against movement into the hook.

5. A husker including an eye, an element extending therefrom, a member having a hook outstanding from said element, attaching means engaging said element and. a wear device upon said element for holding the ittalching means against movement into the 6. A husker including an eye, an element extending therefrom, a member having a hook outstanding from said element, attaching means threaded through the eye and secured thereto, and a wear device upon said element for holding the attaching meansagainst movement into the hook.

7 A husker including an eye having an element extending theref om, a hu king ho k: out tandin fr m: said. e ement, ach ing means extending acrosssaijd element and threaded through the eye, and a wear device engaging said element and extending between said elements and the end of the hook, said wear device constituting means for holding the attaching means. against movement into the hook.

8. A corn husker including an eye, an element extending therefrom, a husking hook outstanding from said element, a wear de vice extending between said element and the end of the hook, and a flexible attaching device wrapped about the said element and engaging the wear device, said means being threaded through the eye.

9. A corn husker including an eye, an element extending therefrom, a husking hook outstanding from said element, a flexible attaching device engaging said element, means for securing said device to the eye, and a combined guard and wear device extending over the attaching device and said element.

10. A corn husker including an eye, an element extending. therefrom, a husking hook outstanding from said element, an at taching strap engaging said element and extending through the eye, and a strap protecting wear device on said element and be-. tween the element and the point of the hook, said hook being extended toward the eye and overhanging the wear device.

- 11. A husking hook including an eye, an element extending therefrom, a hook outstanding from said element, an attaching strap extending over and engaging said element, and a combined wear device and guard secured .to said element and extending over the strap, said device constituting means for preventing the strap from moving into the hook. r

12. A corn husker including an eye having an integral loop extending therefrom, a hooked element within and extending from the loop, a flexible attaching device connected to the loop and a combined guard and wear device extending over the connecting device and attached to the loop.

13. A corn husker including an eye having an integral loop extending therefrom, a hooked element within the loop and outstanding therefrom, a strap extending across the loop, and a wear device extending over that portion of the strap located upon the loop, said wear device constituting means for holding the strap out of the hook.

14. A corn husker including an eye having an elongated loop extending therefrom, an attaching strap threaded through the eye' and across the loop, a hooked element within the loop and outstanding therefrom, and a wear device engaging that portion of the strap extending across the loop.

15. Acorn husker including an eye, an elongated loop extending therefrom, a

hooked element Within and outstanding my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature from the loop, and an attaching strap enin the presence of two Witnesses. gaging the loop, and a combined Wear and holding device integral With the loop and THOMAS LUDWIG' 5 extending over that portion of the strap Witnesses:

upon the loop; C. E. DOYLE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as C. E; PREINKERT. 

